Nutrition for Women

Eating a balanced diet is one of the ways of looking out for your future health. A nutritionally complete diet can decrease your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and cancer. Diet also plays a role in how you feel mentally and physically during the day.

Women and Men share some similar nutritional needs such as eating a balanced diet, avoiding ‘bad’ fats, limiting salt intake etc. They also have some differing needs which are due to a women’s reproductive life including menstruation, menopause, pregnancy, and breastfeeding all with increased nutritional needs.

With our lifestyles being typically complicated and busy it is important that we make sure that our nutritional needs are being met. Especially with numerous restrictive fad diets around many of us are putting ourselves at risk of nutritional deficiencies.
The following information highlights some of the main dietary issues women need to address depending on the stage of life they are in.

Calcium

Calcium is a mineral which is important for women of all ages. It is particularly important after menopause to help prevent osteoporosis. This is a disorder in which the bones become fragile and brittle, leading them to break or fracture. During menopause the ovaries start producing less of the hormone estrogen which is associated with decreases in bone mineral density. One part of the treatment for osteoporosis is adequate calcium intake which is required to assist bone growth and healing and maintain its strength.

Not only is calcium important during menopause but also as you are growing. Inadequate calcium intake during childhood increases the risk of osteoporosis developing later in life due to poor bone development during the younger years. Overall, the average dietary intake of calcium in Australia is below the recommended daily intake and needs to be increased, particularly in young women.

Good sources of calcium include dairy foods (i.e. milk, cheese, yoghurt), calcium fortified soy products and sesame seeds. For those who are not able to eat a calcium rich diet supplements are available as an alternative.

Vitamin D also plays an important role in bone health as it is needed for your body to absorb and use calcium. The best source of vitamin D is from direct exposure to sunlight but it is also present in some foods like fortified milk, fatty fish (mackerel & sardines), liver, margarine, and eggs. Approximately 6-8 minutes in the sun in summer is required to produce adequate vitamin D with your hands, face and arms exposed (or the equivalent area). For those with darker or pigmented skin longer is required to meet vitamin D needs.

Calcium needs for women

Diet Tips for increased Calcium

• Breakfast can include calcium fortified milk with your porridge/ cereal.
• Choose snacks that are higher in calcium such as; yoghurt, crackers and cheese, almonds, and canned sardines.
• Try and include calcium rich foods in your main meals
  • Tinned salmon with bones can be used to make patties
  • Milk included in cooking i.e. lasagna sauce, low fat muffins, pancakes etc

Iron & Anemia

Iron is a mineral that plays several functions in the body including carrying oxygen in the blood. Women have higher needs for iron when they start menstruating as iron is lost through their menstrual period. The need for iron also increases during pregnancy as the fetus draws on the mothers stores to develop its stores for after birth.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in women. It can lead to the development of anemia (low red blood cell count). Symptoms will vary depending on the severity and may include; fatigue, weakness, pale skin, headaches, loss of appetite, concentration difficulties and irritability.

There are two different types of iron found in food.

1. Haem iron – Easily absorbed by the body and is found in lean meat, chicken and fish.
2. Non-haem iron is not as readily absorbed by the body and is found in eggs and plant foods (i.e. dark green leafy vegetables, raisins, nuts, seeds, beans, peas). Other sources include iron-fortified cereals, breads and pastas.

Other diet tips for adequate iron levels

• Vitamin C increases iron absorption, so include these foods in the same meal. E.g. capsicum, oranges, orange juice.
• Avoid tea, coffee, and cola drinks with your meals as it will decrease your iron absorption.
• Include vitamin A foods in the diet as this will help to release stored iron i.e. oils and small amounts of full cream dairy products
• Phytates in wholegrains, legumes and bran can decrease your iron absorption.

Pregnancy and diet

Diet plays an important role before and during pregnancy in keeping you and your baby healthy. Several nutrients are increased during pregnancy and are all important for adequate fetal development.

Diet goals during pregnancy

Folate is a B group vitamin naturally found in; leafy green vegetables, wholegrain breads & cereals, and legumes (i.e. lentils and peas). There are also some foods which are fortified with folate such as cereals and juices. Folate is important in pre pregnancy and in the early stages of pregnancy (first three months) to help decrease the chance of neural tube defects developing such as spina bifida. Try and include some of the above listed foods daily to achieve adequate folate intake.

Calories/Energy

Your energy intake only increases in the second and third trimester (week 14 to birth) of pregnancy. Add an extra 600kj to your daily intake during this time.

Note: The average weight gain in pregnancy is around 10-13kg. It is important not to try and lose weight during pregnancy or limit your intake as you will be starving your baby of nutrients required for adequate development.

Iron

The recommended daily intake of iron during pregnancy is 27mg per day (which is higher than that for non-pregnant women).

Refer to the above section on iron for good sources in the diet.

Listeria

This is a bacteria that can cause still births, miscarriage and premature labour in pregnant women. Infection can occur from eating contaminated foods with certain foods having a higher risk of listeria contamination. These foods should be avoided during pregnancy;

• Soft serve ice creams
• Soft cheese (ie. brie, ricotta, camembert)
• Cold meats from the supermarket/ sandwich stores etc, ready cooked cold chicken, pate
• Pre prepared and readymade salads (i.e. sitting in packaging). Home made fresh salads are fine if eaten once made and veggies are washed well.
• Sushi, Sashimi, raw oysters, smoked seafood (i.e. smoked salmon)

Note: Freshly cooked meals are a good option as Listeria is destroyed by cooking (ensure meals have been heated well). On the other hand listeria is one of the bacteria that can grow in refrigerated foods so care needs to be taken in checking use by dates and storing foods correctly.

Alcohol

There are no known safe levels of alcohol consumption in pregnancy; therefore abstaining from intake is the safest practice. The risks involved with alcohol consumption include miscarriage, low birth weight, congenital deformities and effects on the baby’s intelligence.

The calcium intake for pregnant women remains unchanged to that normally.

Vitamin A requirements are higher in pregnancy but supplement tablets should be avoided as excess vitamin A during pregnancy can cause birth deformities. Requirements can be met through the diet by including eggs, fatty fish, margarine, and milk.